Seeking vs Coasting
As I read the Bible this morning, a phrase in 2 Chronicles 12:14 struck me, "He [King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon] did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord." My first thought was, how sad, since his grandfather was King David! Then it became more personal, Do I know how to set my heart on seeking the Lord?
My husband and I walked our neighborhood this morning and I asked him, "What does it mean to you to set your heart on seeking the Lord?" After a pause, he noted, "I don't really know." I replied, "I guess I better look into this further." Of course, I went to Google and searched "seeking the Lord with all my heart." This article on the website, www.desiringgod.org really simplified this idea. The following quote from https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-does-it-mean-to-seek-the-lord written by John Piper was insightful:
This setting of the mind is the opposite of mental coasting. It is a conscious choice to direct the heart toward God. This is what Paul prays for the church: “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).
Seeking the Lord then is choosing to appropriate time in my daily schedule, as well as in my mind, to read the Bible, pray and reach out to the Holy Spirit with a desire to know God better and be in relationship with Jesus Christ. I spend time daily to talk with and do things for my husband so that he knows I care about and love him; I must consciously choose to "set [my] heart on seeking the Lord" to show that I desire a deeper relationship with Him.
I can seek or coast. Seeking is more focused, intentional and deliberate, whereas coasting implies moving without much direction and with little to no effort or momentum (dictionary.com). Seeking requires me to be engaged with God and things of God. Coasting has been my mode of transportation much of my life and tends to be free of goals (as well as the completion of goals) and hapless in nature. I let things happen to me or unfold naturally which leads to easy paths with little resistance, although such routes can lead to dissatisfaction and regrets. But God allows us to choose.
My husband and I walked our neighborhood this morning and I asked him, "What does it mean to you to set your heart on seeking the Lord?" After a pause, he noted, "I don't really know." I replied, "I guess I better look into this further." Of course, I went to Google and searched "seeking the Lord with all my heart." This article on the website, www.desiringgod.org really simplified this idea. The following quote from https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-does-it-mean-to-seek-the-lord written by John Piper was insightful:
This setting of the mind is the opposite of mental coasting. It is a conscious choice to direct the heart toward God. This is what Paul prays for the church: “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).
Seeking the Lord then is choosing to appropriate time in my daily schedule, as well as in my mind, to read the Bible, pray and reach out to the Holy Spirit with a desire to know God better and be in relationship with Jesus Christ. I spend time daily to talk with and do things for my husband so that he knows I care about and love him; I must consciously choose to "set [my] heart on seeking the Lord" to show that I desire a deeper relationship with Him.
I can seek or coast. Seeking is more focused, intentional and deliberate, whereas coasting implies moving without much direction and with little to no effort or momentum (dictionary.com). Seeking requires me to be engaged with God and things of God. Coasting has been my mode of transportation much of my life and tends to be free of goals (as well as the completion of goals) and hapless in nature. I let things happen to me or unfold naturally which leads to easy paths with little resistance, although such routes can lead to dissatisfaction and regrets. But God allows us to choose.
Colossians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
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